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TV on Small Inverter

I installed a couple of extra 12 outlets, one for a GPS and the other for the TV. GPS works fine but I'm having trouble with the TV. I have a couple of those little inverters (300 & 350w) but for some reason neither will power the TV. One is putting out 120v and the other 106 and both are operating at close to 60 hz. I used both of these inverters on a different rig without issue but on a much newer TV. This is a nine year old 26" Toshiba. I should add that this TV worked fine with the original modified sine wave inverter. It still works fine off my new pure sine wave inverter and when plugged into shore power. When plugged in or running off the coach inverter the TV is using about .9 amps. Any ideas? Thanks.
jor



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Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #1 –
My guess is you're getting a drop in the 12v at the cigarette lighter socket. If the TV is drawing .9 amps at 120V that would be about 100 watts. At 12V that would be about 10 amps accounting for inverter efficiency. What size wire did you use for the lighter socket, and how long was the wire run?
Peter and Tammy Fleming
1991 U300 GV 40 - Sold, owned for 4 years
Downsized to Roadtrek Popular 210 class B

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #2 –
These small inverters usually come with battery clips, and for good reason. They don't like any voltage drop on the DC side. I'd start by checking the DC voltage, and try directly connecting to z fully charged battery.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #3 –
I am using a smallish inverter to run the res refrig and all of the front end entertainment stuff. It is connected directly to the batteries and powers the 110v circuits the the devices need.  I suspect that the issue is your 12 v supply.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #4 –
Had same problem on my 320, tried wiring into plug in overhead cabinet and found too much voltage drop. Ended up running 10 gauge up side pillar of windshield from pass side fuse panel below. This was big enough to run 300 watt inverter in overhead cabinet to run tv, sat and stereo.
Jim C.
coachfree, previous 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003 Foretravels.

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #5 –
Quote
Had same problem on my 320, tried wiring into plug in overhead cabinet and found too much voltage drop.
Yea, that's the problem alright. I'll either redirect one of the two dash 12v receptacles wires or do as you did with a complete new run. Thanks to all.
jor
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Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #6 –
Quote from: jor –
Yea, that's the problem alright. I'll either redirect one of the two dash 12v receptacles wires or do as you did with a complete new run. Thanks to all.
jor

On my new coach, going to mount inverter down by pass. fuse panel and run 110 volt up to overhead compartment. Probably easier running 16 gauge than 10 gauge. Dash receptacles are only fed by 16/14 gauge so might have same problem after running to overhead.
Jim C.
coachfree, previous 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2003 Foretravels.

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #7 –
Plugging small inverters into a cig. lighter rarely works. Probably installed 50 inverters for people, when installing Sat TV systems. I have a small 200 watt  pure signwave wired to the house batts direct with # 8 wire (only #10 was required).
It runs an in-motion sat dish control, 2 sat receivers (one a tivo DVR), a DVD and a 36" TV. Just for fun, I left it all on one night (12 hrs).Batts were fine in the morning.
I also wired a 100 watt (non pure signwave), inside the rear cabinet by cutting the plug off, and hard wiring it to the wire that was there, for the rear TV. It works fine. But that same inverter wouldn't work for more then 30 min. plugged in to a cig. lighter.
These small inverters draw way less amps then the big mac daddy one on board. But the main issue was, when ever I started the gen set, when I shut it down, the transfer switch glitched the inverter, and the sat would shut down, then need to reload. A tivo takes about 10 min. to reload.
Chris
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #8 –
Quote from: jcus –
On my new coach, going to mount inverter down by pass. fuse panel and run 110 volt up to overhead compartment. Probably easier running 16 gauge than 10 gauge. Dash receptacles are only fed by 16/14 gauge so might have same problem after running to overhead.

Yup
Chris and Tammy White  CDA Idaho
Previous owners 1997 U295 36' 3126 Cat 300 HP Build # 4998
Former Foretravel tech & RVIA certified tech
Former owner Custom Satellite home/RV satellites 
Former owner Vans LTD  van conversions
Unemployed, panhandler, drag racer NHRA #6348

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #9 –
Circuit #1 in the smaller of the 2 AC breaker boxes powers the front A/V section of the coach and at least one receptacle above the fridge.
There is a post that describes (with pictures) the installation of a smallish (1000 watt) sine-wave inverter in the foot of the bed space to power a new res-fridge and as a plus the A/V gear . 

The poster pulled circuit#1 (see diagram below) out of the breaker box and connected it as the output of the inverter.

I though it was kinda neat!

As an added thought:
It will also power my C-PAP machine through the inverter
Elliott & Mary Bray
ex. 1996 36' U295 - Build 4879
ex. 2018 Coachmen Leprechaun 319MB
 

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #10 –

Jon, I am running a 10 year old Toshiba on a 100W inverter that is plugged in to a cigarette lighter plug without any problem. The TV only draws 60 watts. It may be that the larger inverter draws enough amperage that is draws down the voltage too low for the TV to perform. The little plug in inverters are very inexpensive and quite handy. You might try that first.

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The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: TV on Small Inverter

Reply #11 –
I tried the TV on one of the two dash 12v receptacles and it works fine so my problem is definitely with my 12 volt source. I used a wire labeled "C5" and split it between an antenna amplifier and my 12 volt receptacle. My intention was to power a plug-in 300 watt cheapo inverter. I took a chance in that "C5" is not indicated in my coach wire list. I thought I was good to go as the receptacle showed battery voltage and the little inverter powered up and showed 120v.

Anyhow, I'm going to do as Jim did and make a new run to from the fuse panel. That way I'll have a dedicated circuit for my 12 volt receptacle. I'm also going to replace this old TV which will draw less current. This is really all I need as I will only run the TV and a DVD from this source. I may get one of those fanless tiny inverters too. Thanks to all.
jor
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